TB. Total Badgers or Total Bullocks
Reported recently in Farmers Weekly a whole Herd of 83 Healthy Pedigree Guernsey cattle were slaughtered. They were all killed because of ONE reactor following skin tests, against 88 positives, (All Clear) for the gamma-interferon blood test.
This was just a waste of effort. Not to say soul destroying for the farmer whose lifes work it was. It seems to me a total waste.
Maybe someone can help me out here? Do Badgers carry TB but are not infected themselves? Has there been any clinical studies into the effects of TB on the Badgers themselves?
Most people can console themselves to farming practices so long as the animals have been treated well and had a good life. I'm in no way suggesting that these cattle did not have a good life, I am questioning whether they were killed unnecessarily? Most of Joe Public would not be happy with that.
The Badger Trust has worked it to their advantage. Engaged in a publicity campaign to get Joe Public on their side. British Agriculture has yet again shyed away from publicity instead of using it to encourage the outcome it needs.
DEFRA has put off the cull of badgers time and again. Whilst it hasn't admitted as much it has all but said that "public outrage would cost them votes." The government cannot afford the loss of votes from any quarter at the moment. It's time to make an advantage.
The public will be no less appalled at the needless slaughter of cattle that fail an unproven test. We cannot campaign against the slaughter of cattle that do carry the disease, but we must campaign for an even handed approach to erradicate this disease which costs the industry and the taxpayer alike. It is time to eradicate this disease and protect farming and wildlife.